Rainy Day
by Sanzo Lady
Summary: Back in the 'ol days of OZ... We get to see Zechs' - and Milliardo's - past.


Rainy Day   
  
"It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring," Relena sang, "He went to bed and bonked his head and didn't get up until morning."   
  
  
Milliardo and his sister gazed out the windows as walls of water fell from the sky. Relena, only two years old, was easily amused, and was having just as much fun as if she were outside in the sunshine.   
  
  
"I know a better song to sing," Miliiardo sighed.   
  
  
"What song?" Relena asked.   
  
  
"Oh, honey," Their mother said, entering the play room, "I know you are sad that it's raining on your birthday but, please, cheer up."   
  
  
"But I am so bored, Mother," The prince whined.   
  
  
"Maybe it rains on your birthday 'cause of your attitude," Relena told them.   
  
  
"What?" Milliardo said skeptically.   
  
  
"You are like a rain cloud. Dark and grumpy," Relena explained. Katrina tried to hide her laughter as her son growled at her daughter. Milliardo then sighed and continued staring out the window as the rain gave a drink to the many greens of the Cinq Kingdom.   
  
  
  
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"So, we'll transport the Leo suits to the Corsica base. We depart from Luxembourg at dawn. Understood?" said Lieutenant Walker.   
  
  
It was mid-October, and rain was pouring down from the sky quite heavily. Outside almost no one dare to walk. And those who did darted quickly through the mud. Soon enough the Alliance base would become quite flooded, and the buildings in lower valley would be deemed "off limits for safety reasons".   
  
  
"Lieutenant Zechs?" Walker tried to get his comrade's attention, "Zechs?"   
  
  
Zechs' gaze was locked on the rain outside. Mindlessly he looked out the window, pausing only to blink.   
  
  
"Lieutenant Zechs," Lieutenant Otto called, also trying to get their friend's attention.   
  
  
"Hmm," Zechs looked up at them.   
  
  
"Lt. Zechs, were you paying attention to the meeting?" Otto asked.   
  
  
"Yes. Leos to Corsica at dawn. See?" Zechs told them. He sighed sadly.   
  
  
"What's wrong, Zechs?" Walker sounded concerned.  
  
  
Zechs narrowed his eyes at his two fellow soldiers for trying to get involved in his personal life, then realized that Walker and Otto couldn't see his eyes, due to his silver mask. His anger disappeared, after all, these were his friends and they were only concerned about him.   
  
  
"It's nothing, Walker. Just that it's my birthday. And it's raining." Zechs told him.   
  
  
"Is that a problem?" Otto asked.   
  
  
"No. Just, it's rained on my birthday every year since I was six." Zechs sighed.   
  
  
"Wow, the famed Lightning Count has a birthday?" Lucretia Noin walked into the near empty room.   
  
  
"Of course I have a birthday. October 13th. But you knew that, Noin." Zechs said.   
  
  
"I know. But some times you seem so inhuman. Behind that mask," Noin said, leaning against a wall.   
  
  
No one had ever seen Zechs Merquise unmasked. Where ever you saw him, his face was hidden by his helmet that slightly resembled a bird. Rumors had gotten started about Lt. Zechs' mask and it's purpose. One rumor was that Zechs' face was horribly disfigured, and he wears the mask to hide his ugly face. Another was that he had accidentally glued it to his head as a child, and was now forced to wear it every where - even in the shower. One rumor even went as far as to say that Zechs was and alien, and that was his face.   
  
  
"Noin, is there a purpose to this visit?" Zechs asked rather miserably.   
  
  
"Yes, actually, this came for you, from Bremen. I though I'd give it to you in person, rather than let the mail carriers bang it around." Noin handed Zechs his package.   
  
  
"It's a birthday present. From Treize." Zechs said simply, opening it.   
  
  
"What did he send you?" Walked asked.   
  
  
"Alcohol. It's what he always sends me." Zechs told them.   
  
  
"Mind sharing?" Otto joked. Zechs pushed the bottle into Otto's hands and left the warm, dry interior of the building. Noin followed Zechs out into the rain.   
  
  
"Are you okay? Zechs?" Noin asked, more concerned than Walker had been before.   
  
  
Zechs was standing in the down pour his back to Noin. To her surprise, he held his mask in his hands, it was not on his head. Zechs slowly turned around, revealing his face to Noin.   
  
  
For the first time she had seen his full face. His eyes were a cold ice blue, partially obstructed by his bangs. His hair was a snowy white, but that could be told by mere sight of him, for his hair extended below his waist in the back. Noin found that she though Zechs was very attractive. She had never thought of him that way before. She wasn't even sure if she was his friend.   
  
  
"Noin. My real name is Milliardo Peacecraft. I am heir to the Cinq Kingdom's throne." Zechs told Noin his deepest secret.   
  
  
"I won't tell anyone." Noin assured him, "This is just between you and me."   
  
  
  
The End 


End file.
